Privacy Policy

[Updated October 29, 2015]

The typical privacy policy begins by telling you how seriously the service provider takes the privacy and security of your data. And then goes on to disclose the many and varied ways your data will be used for the service provider’s own purposes.

We’re a little different. The privacy and security of your data is at the core of Been’s mission. So in this privacy policy, we want to let you know, in plain and simple English, how we carry out that mission. (Let us know how we did.)

This privacy policy is in the format of FAQs. If these questions are not frequently asked, they should be.

Just to get the legalese out of the way: by using the Been services, you are agreeing to this privacy policy. We may need to revise and improve the policy as our services evolve, so check back occasionally for the current version.

If you are not of legal age to form a binding contract (in many jurisdictions, this age is 18), you may only use the Services and disclose information to us with your parent’s or guardian’s express consent. Review this Privacy Policy with your parent or guardian and make sure you understand it.

1.

What information does Been collect?

The information we collect depends entirely on your choice! It’s your choice, and the switch in the app is what you use to tell us your choice.

In Block Mode, our goal is to prevent advertisements and third-party trackers from reaching your device. If you choose to block in Apps, only DNS requests for ad and tracker domains ever hit our servers, to be discarded. No traffic is routed to our servers. And no data is saved. Neither is any data routed to our servers or saved when you use just the Safari Content Blocker.

In Earn Mode, our goal is to collect useful information about how you use your device. When you choose Earn Mode, you choose to send some of your traffic through Been’s servers. However, we do not collect all information from this selection of traffic. We limit our collection, at any time, to a subset of your browsing, app usage, and device usage history. And the collection is further limited to information stored in headers and never the actual content.

In Earn Mode we may, for example, receive: (a) information about your device, including the type of device, the mobile carrier or network, IP address, location information and device identifiers; (b) webpage addresses you visit; (c) information about your apps and data usage. In certain cases, we may make available to third parties information that does not contain personally identifying information, for which we have taken reasonable steps to remove all personally identifying information.

2.

How does Been use the personally identifying information I provide (if any)?

In both Block Mode and Earn Mode, only to provide the Been services to you, including maintenance and support of your account and improvement of the services. For no other purpose. Not for advertisements (by us or anyone else), not for promotions, not for targeted content.

3.

Does Been share my personally identifying information with any third parties?

Only with service providers, such as developers, that we engage to support our business. No one else. Any such sharing is strictly on a “need to know” basis, and subject to the service providers signing a written agreement to keep your information confidential.

4.

How secure is Been?

We don’t promise to be Fort Knox. No one can guarantee internet security. But we do take commercially reasonable precautions to protect your personal information from loss, misuse and unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration and destruction.

But be aware that you too have security responsibilities. Implement measures to protect your device from unauthorized access. And be selective in “spilling your Beens.”

5.

What if I still have questions or want to comment?

If you have any questions or comments about this privacy policy, we will be pleased to hear from you. Please contact us at hi@been.mobi